Yes, piggies can be fun, and don't need the run of the house. They do need a decent sized cage! 2X8, or 4X4 min. Again, social, so get two. The better enclosures are table top DIY - look up C&C, they are made with the plastic cholorplast (trade name, spell?) sheets, and wire shelf panels. Zip ties for connecting the 13"X13" shelving units, and lots of fleece. Expect to do a considerable amount of laundry to keep the fleece clean. Otherwise, they are simple to keep. They don't climb, so the top can be left open - a very nice feature.
If you can swing the 4'X8" layout, but don't want all the laundry, consider land turtles, or small tortoises. Top can be open, sides MUST be solid (non see-through). The other MUST is UV, and the mfr. needs to be reputable (like Arcadia), and the bulbs should be hung low over the surface, and should be replaced yearly. Expect to do considerable research if you want to do it right. These enclosures can be very pretty with rock work, draining bio-active soils and lots of plants.
Still, a pair of friendly rats would be the easiest. I only hesitate to recommend a snake (the lowest in maintenance once the enclosure is properly setup. Again, considerable research to do it right, but easy after that) because of the snake hostile audience here. LOVE my snakes!
Birds can be another good option. Doves are quiet. They do require a daily paper change. Expect to vacuume the room daily, as all captive birds seem to like to toss seeds.
If you can swing the 4'X8" layout, but don't want all the laundry, consider land turtles, or small tortoises. Top can be open, sides MUST be solid (non see-through). The other MUST is UV, and the mfr. needs to be reputable (like Arcadia), and the bulbs should be hung low over the surface, and should be replaced yearly. Expect to do considerable research if you want to do it right. These enclosures can be very pretty with rock work, draining bio-active soils and lots of plants.
Still, a pair of friendly rats would be the easiest. I only hesitate to recommend a snake (the lowest in maintenance once the enclosure is properly setup. Again, considerable research to do it right, but easy after that) because of the snake hostile audience here. LOVE my snakes!
Birds can be another good option. Doves are quiet. They do require a daily paper change. Expect to vacuume the room daily, as all captive birds seem to like to toss seeds.
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